The Juxtaposition of Bay Area Wealth
I recently toured a property in Alameda, California that I am almost certain will sell for over $1.5 million (I will update once the transaction closes). It wasn’t the most spacious, nor did it have the best layout. But it had a boathouse, a private dock situated along the water, and benefits most of all by being in the City of Alameda.
As I took in the view off the back deck, I couldn’t help but realize a stark contrast. From this million-dollar listing, the buyer is going to have a view of the encampments lining Alameda Avenue, right across the Fruitvale Avenue Bridge in the City of Oakland.
One of the first things I think about is how the City of Alameda would never allow this level of deterioration. Like many streets in Oakland, the roadways along Alameda Ave. are un-walkable, un-bikeable, unsanitary, and 100% UNACCEPTABLE.
As a lifelong resident of Oakland, I can say from experience that our city’s best foot has not been forward for a while now.
Since 2019, homelessness in Oakland alone has grown by nearly 25% - from 4,017 to 5,055. Oakland is home to over half of the roughly 10,000 people in Alameda County residing in places not intended for habitation. That’s after Oakland spent nearly $70 million on programs to help people transition into permanent housing over a 3-year period.
Another aspect at play here, the large, 428,000 sq ft, former Glass Container plant located at the corner of Fruitvale Ave. & Alameda Ave. recently purchased for $34M. Road expansion on Fruitvale for the new owner’s project is already underway, which means it’s only a matter of time before the encampment occupants will once again be displaced and forced to migrate to another area of the City. Where will they call home next? And what is the City doing to improve the inevitable outcome.
Currently, not enough.
Yes, I too am shaking my head.
Land has always been a premium, finite, commodity. However, the premium for quality of life continues to increase and get further out of reach for vulnerable populations.
Regardless of what side of the water one lives on, everyone should be able to thrive where they reside. That’s clearly not the case as seen from this deck in Alameda, and other streets across the Bay Area—insert The Tenderloin in San Francisco, International Blvd. between 98th and 69th Ave in Oakland, or a random corner in Berkeley. The issues run deep, and fixing the root of the problems takes work and commitment.
I encourage everyone to support programs and organizations that provide the type of wrap around services needed. Government is unfortunately not equipped to take on all of our socio-economic issues alone. It takes cross-sector partnerships and the voices of THE PEOPLE.
If you’d like to be a part of uplifting a neighborhood, start with your own. Reach out to your local Council Member, join a commission that you are passionate about, and galvanize the neighbors next door to be proactive about improving your street. Every effort, big or small, makes a difference.
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You can read the full report issued by City Auditor Courtney Ruby, here.
